Clark University 2023-2024 Financial Aid Guide

2023-2024

Financial Aid Guide

Important Information

One of the most important first steps in determining how to pay for college is your financial aid award. This guide will help you read and understand the award you’ve received, and will clearly explain our award policies.

All Students Thank you for reviewing this award guide. By sending your deposit, you are accepting your offer of financial aid indicates that you understand the information provided here and that you are aware of the eligibility requirements you must satisfy to maintain the award. You also agree to any adjustments the University may need to make to maintain compliance with both Federal Title IV aid awarding regulations and Institutional policies and practices.

Communications A student’s clarku.edu email account is the official means of communication with students. Students’ privacy and rights are protected under FERPA which need to be observed. A student can update their FERPA authorization on-line with the Registrar’s Office.

WHO TO CONTACT

Office of Financial Assistance

508.793.7478 508.793.8802  fax

finaid@clarku.edu

We can answer your questions about:

• Your financial aid award

• Alternative financing options

Student Accounts Office

508.421.3801 | saccounts@clarku.edu

Student Accounts can help you:

• Determine how much your Clark education will cost, per semester and for the academic year

• Answer billing questions

• Establish a monthly payment plan

• Understand refund policies and guidelines

Office of Student Employment

508.421.2260

oncampusemployment@clarku.edu

We can answer your questions about:

• How to find on campus jobs

• The best time to look for jobs

• Undergraduate student employment onboarding

• Federal work study jobs

Registrar’s Office

508.793.7426 | 508.793.7548

We can answer your questions about:

• Records and academic-related information

• Meeting graduation requirements

• Accessing documents and FERPA

Residential Life And Housing

508.793.7453  | 508.421.3787  fax  reslife@clarku.edu

We can answer your questions about:

• Housing costs

• Meal plans

Dean of Students Office

508.793.7423 | DOS@clarku.edu

We can answer your questions about:

• Student Life

• Student Support and Resources

WHEN TO NOTIFY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Each aid recipient is responsible for notifying the Office of Financial Assistance in writing of the following events:

• Changes in anticipated enrollment or residency

• Changes in family financial circumstance as reported on the FAFSA or CSS Profile

•

of outside aid/scholarship(s)

Institutional Financial Aid Eligibility

Full-time undergraduate students are limited to eight semesters (fall/spring) of Clark University institutional financial aid. Under extenuating circumstances, students can appeal for a ninth semester of institutional aid. Appeals should outline the reason for extension and should be addressed to the Director of Financial Assistance for consideration. Financial aid awarded for ninth semester appeals is based on the current year’s FAFSA and may be limited to:

• Institutional aid

• Any remaining Title IV and state aid eligibility

You are expected to borrow the Federal Direct loans that are offered on your award as a condition of receiving need-based appeal funding and avail themselves of all Title IV resources.

Types of Financial Assistance

Upon receiving your financial aid award, you may see a variety of award types. Some of these are needbased awards, based on your financial assistance application. Some are merit-based awards, given by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions upon acceptance. In this section, we will cover the types of awards you may see in your financial aid package. Note that all Clark assistance, both merit- and need-based, is applied to the cost of tuition only. If you receive funding from an additional resource exceeding the cost of tuition, your financial aid award will be adjusted accordingly. The total of all aid, including federal and private loans, cannot exceed the Cost of Attendance (COA).

Upon verification of financial aid files and/or additional documentation supplied to our office, your financial aid award may be revised accordingly. It is important to notify our office of any changes to the information reported on your FAFSA and CSS profile. Award adjustments that result in a balance due should be addressed with Student Accounts to learn about your payment options.

GRANTS

Clark University Grant This grant is awarded to students enrolling at the University who demonstrate financial need and meet the eligibility requirements set by the Office of Financial Assistance. This is a need-based grant and requires the information on the FAFSA in order for a student to qualify for it each year. The amount may be adjusted when there are changes in the expected family contribution, enrollment, or residency status.

Gilbert Grant These are funds allocated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to Clark University for distribution to eligible, full-time undergraduate students who are permanent residents of Massachusetts.

LOANS

William D. Ford Federal Direct Lending Program

NOTE: When a parent is not approved for the Federal Direct Parent PLUS loan, your unsubsidized Stafford loan can be increased up to $4,000 for first- and second-year students, and up to $5,000 for thirdand fourth- year students. If the parent borrower is approved for the loan at a later date, the increases to the unsubsidized Stafford loan will not apply.

STUDENT EMPLOYMENT/FEDERAL WORK-STUDY (FWS)

Federal Pell Grants

The U.S. Department of Education determines eligibility for Pell Grants. Grant amounts are based on the number of courses for which the students will register and the calculated Expected Family Contribution as determined by the FAFSA. The University Grant is reduced dollar for dollar by this award.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) This federal program provides grant assistance to students who have demonstrated exceptional financial need. Priority is given to Federal Pell Grant-eligible students.

State Scholarship Grants These are awarded directly to eligible students pursuing their first bachelor’s degrees by their states of legal residence. State grants reduce the Clark grant dollar for dollar.

The William D. Ford Federal Direct Lending Program is a federal student loan program under which eligible students and parents borrow directly from the U.S. Department of Education at participating schools.

Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and the Direct PLUS Loan are types of Direct Loans.

• Direct Subsidized loans: The maximum amount of subsidized Stafford loan is awarded to you based on need. The interest is paid by the federal government if you are enrolled at least half-time and for the first six months after you leave school.

• Direct Unsubsidized loans: This is a non-needbased loan, and you are responsible for paying the interest on the loan during all periods. If the interest payment is not made while enrolled at least half-time, the interest charge is capitalized onto the principal amount of the loan.

• Federal Direct Parent PLUS loans: Families who are interested in applying for the Department of Education Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan can find the application on our website. The Office of Financial Assistance will begin accepting loan applications mid-June. Follow the instructions on our website for processing.

Massachusetts No-Interest Loan Undergraduate students who are residents of Massachusetts are eligible for this loan, which is offered by the Commonwealth through Clark University. Recipients must meet all established eligibility criteria. No interest accrues on this loan, which goes into repayment six months after you graduate or drop below half-time enrollment. This is a state loan and not eligible for consolidation. The borrower is responsible for keeping the lender apprised of all name and address changes.

The student employment program at Clark University provides part-time job opportunities for undergraduate students on or near campus to help pay for incidental expenses during the year. The Office of Financial Assistance administers Clark’s Federal Work-Study program. Federal Work-Study is a federally subsidized, part-time employment program awarded to full-time undergraduate students who demonstrate a certain level of financial need. The award is a limit to a student’s potential earnings.

Unlike other forms of financial aid, Federal WorkStudy and University student employment funds are not applied as a credit to your account. Earnings are paid to you on a bi-weekly basis for hours worked during the prior weeks. For more information about student employment at Clark, skip to the “Conditions of Student Employment” section in this guide, or visit the Office of Student Employment website (clarku.edu/studentjobs).

SCHOLARSHIPS

Merit scholarships are awarded based on a holistic application review for admission to the university. As merit scholarships are granted upon admission to Clark University, they cannot be increased or newly awarded in subsequent years.

of the first all-graduate institutions in the United States, with special interest in research in the field of psychology.

Global Scholarships

Tuition Exchange Scholarship Program

Outside Scholarships

Outside scholarships may impact the financial aid award in the following ways:

Traina Scholarship

This is one of Clark’s top-level merit scholarships. The Traina Scholarship was made possible through a donation in honor of the late Richard P. Traina, who served as president of the University from 1984 until 2000.

A limited number of these scholarships are awarded to first-year students who have demonstrated potential to provide leadership in their community and the world. Clark invites applications from students who are not permanent residents or citizens of the United States, as well as from U.S. citizens/permanent residents who reside overseas and complete their entire secondary education outside the U.S.

Clark University participates in the Tuition Exchange Program, which is based on parental employment at another participating institution. Decisions related to Tuition Exchange awards are communicated in March. The award will be blended with other aid, and the total of the awards will not exceed the set rate for the year. It is awarded upon admission only. For more information, contact the Tuition Exchange liaison at your parent’s college or visit tuitionexchange.org.

SAGE Scholars Tuition Rewards Program

Clark

Robert Goddard Achievement Scholarship

This scholarship is in honor of the father of modern rocketry, who earned master’s and doctoral degrees at Clark and was a professor of physics from 1914 until shortly before his death in 1945.

Other Types of Aid

International Scholarships/Grants

Jonas Clark Scholarship

This merit award was established in recognition of Jonas Gilman Clark, who founded Clark University in 1887.

Scarlet Award

This scholarship is awarded to incoming students who have demonstrated remarkable devotion to their academics or community endeavors. Named for Clark’s school color, Scarlet — a bold color traditionally associated with courage and passion.

1887 Award

This scholarship is named for the year Jonas Clark founded Clark University as one

A limited number of International Scholarships/Grants are awarded each year. Awarding takes place during the admission process, and receipt of these scholarships is based on merit and/or financial need. The terms of the initial scholarship/grant offered will remain constant for all four years and cannot be increased. Students are required to file the CSS International Profile to apply for need-based grants. The I-20 serves as confirmation of your ability to afford the education for the years you attend Clark as an undergraduate or graduate student.

University partners with the SAGE Scholars Tuition Rewards Program. Students and families save to earn points which are redeemed to help fund higher education costs. At Clark, SAGE Scholarships are blended with any institutional merit scholarships awarded to the student. These institutional funds will represent the promised SAGE Tuition Rewards. If a student earns SAGE Tuition Rewards in excess of the value of their Clark merit or need-based award, then the difference will be awarded as a SAGE Scholarship. Learn more at tuitionrewards.com.

Scholarships received from sources other than Clark University should be reported to the Office of Financial Assistance and/or Student Accounts. These awards may affect your Clark University financial aid package. You are responsible for providing Clark University with official notification of the scholarship and for meeting scholarship requirements. You can easily access transcripts and create on-demand bills through your CUWeb portal. All scholarship payments and notifications should include your full legal name and student ID number. They can be mailed to the following address:

Clark University Cashiers Office

950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610

• Scholarships from meritorious sources that are in recognition of a particular achievement of the student will be applied to unmet institutional need. Any remaining scholarship will reduce work-study, then loan amounts. If there is additional remaining scholarship, it will reduce the Clark grant dollar for dollar.

• Private grants or scholarships from nonmeritorious sources, such as state or federal grants, will reduce the Clark grant dollar for dollar.

• Tuition benefit/remission based on a parent’s employment will offset the need-based university grant as follows:

• The first $5,000 will be applied without impact to the students award.

• The university grant will then be reduced $0.50 cents on the dollar thereafter.

Veteran’s Educational Benefits

The Director of Financial Assistance serves as the VA Certifying Official and works with students and families receiving these benefits.

You can access all the information you may need to satisfy scholarship reporting and renewal requirements from the CUWeb Portal.

Aid for Graduate and SPS Students

Students who are pursuing an advanced degree from Clark University can complete the FAFSA and be evaluated for federal aid eligibility. You do not need to provide parent information on the FAFSA. To award aid to graduate students, we will need the FAFSA and the Graduate Student Application for Financial Aid confirming the number of units you wish to take each semester.

Eligible students must be enrolled at least half-time (1.5 units) per semester to be considered for federal Title IV aid. You are eligible up to a maximum loan amount of $20,500 in unsubsidized Stafford loan offered through the Federal Direct William D. Ford lending program per academic year. You will also need to complete the entrance counseling and master promissory note to accept loans and have them applied to your bill once you have remitted the Stafford loan processing form. You may borrow a Grad PLUS loan if you are accepted and enrolled in a graduate degree program, and you may borrow additional funds through private loan lenders.

NOTE: Summer sessions are viewed as one semester. You must register for at least 1.5 units over the summer to be considered at half-time enrollment and eligible for financial assistance. Disbursement for loans during this period would occur after add/drop during the second summer session.

Eligible students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA if they need benefit forms completed and to be considered for any additional funding opportunities should they become available. On your CUWeb portal, these requirements should be marked as satisfied. If not, please remit the outstanding documents or email us from your Clark email to tell us to waive any outstanding requirements to complete your file.

If you do not wish to borrow under the William D.

Ford Federal Direct Lending program, or would like to reduce or decline aid, email the financial aid office at finaid@clarku.edu from your Clark email account.

SPS Undergraduate students will be reviewed for Federal Title IV and state aid based on their enrollment and eligibility requirements for their grade level. Graduate and SPS students seeking institutional funding need to connect with their program for those opportunities.

Both the Graduate and SPS Student application and the Stafford loan processing form are available on the financial aid web page under “Forms and Resources.”

Aid for Part-Time Enrolled Students

Students who do not request part-time status approval from Academic Advising during their time with Clark and who are enrolled less-than full-time are required to pay full tuition and fees. If you declare a part-time enrollment status prior to graduating, there is no institutional funding available during that period unless you meet the exception outlined below. You will be awarded any Federal or state aid you may qualify for based on enrollment and completed applications for financial aid. We are required to adjust awards to meet enrollment requirements when necessary, such as the Federal Pell grant.

It is your responsibility to understand enrollment requirements to maintain on-campus housing and to plan accordingly.

Exception: Beginning in the 2022-2023 academic year, the University has approved a one-time award for partial enrollment for undergraduate students whose final semester of enrollment to satisfy graduation requirements can be met by being enrolled less than full-time. To meet this award, you must do the following:

• Gain approval from Academic Advising to be part-time

• Report to the Office of Financial Assistance the number of units you wish to take, sent via your Clark email address

• Be in your final semester to meet graduation requirements

• Meet all application, enrollment and eligibility requirements

• Have received need-based aid in prior years

The amount of institutional aid awarded will be prorated based on enrollment. Other aid is subject to all other eligibility requirements including application, enrollment, loan aggregates, and life-time usage limits and maximums.

Adjustments to Aid

When adjustments to awards are necessary, our policy is to reduce or cancel federal-work study first, then loans. If necessary, institutional funding will be adjusted accordingly. Any resulting balance due is your responsibility.

VERIFICATION

All aid is subject to review, adjustment, or cancellation after receipt of supporting documentation, tax documentation, or changes in a student’s status, in accordance with Title IV and University policies.

After May 1, we will post the documents needed to complete verification to the student’s CUWeb portal. The requested documents can be submitted to our secure Dropbox account.

WHEN TO NOTIFY US

Each aid recipient is responsible for notifying the Office of Financial Assistance in writing of:

• Changes in anticipated enrollment or residency

• Changes in family financial circumstance as reported on the FAFSA/CSS Profile

• Receipt of outside aid/scholarship(s)

FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY

Full-time undergraduate students are

• Expected to borrow the Federal Direct Loans that was offered on their award as a condition of receiving need-based appeal funding and avail themselves of all Title IV resources

• Limited to eight semesters (fall/spring) of Clark University institutional financial aid. Under extenuating circumstances, students can appeal for a ninth semester of institutional aid. Appeals should outline the reason for extension of the degree completion time frame and should be addressed to the Director of Financial Assistance for consideration.

Viewing and Paying Your Bill

All students will receive a bill electronically for one half of the academic year’s expenses prior to the start of each semester. Financial aid awards are credited in two equal payments to the fall and spring semesters.

SEMESTER

You can also schedule an appointment with your Student Accounts Counselor to review your bill.

ESTIMATED 2023–2024 RATES ARE:†

You must satisfy payment with the Student Accounts Office no later than the bill due date to avoid late fees, delays in enrolling, and/or schedule cancellations.

HOW TO VIEW YOUR BILL

All semester bills and monthly statements are posted online. Students and authorized users will be notified via email when bills are available.

You are able to view your bills and statements by logging into the CUWeb Portal, searching under “Student Account Information,” and choosing “View and Pay Student Account.” Here students may view bills, see current balances, create on-demand statements, set up direct deposit for refunds, and set up an authorized user. We encourage you to review your statements frequently to understand your charges, payments, credits, and balances due.

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 requires that institutions of higher education strictly protect the privacy rights of all students who are or have been in attendance. In practice, this means that information contained in your educational record, which includes billing and student account information, cannot be shared with anyone, including a parent, without your permission. You may grant permission by completing an online FERPA Authorization. More information can be found online.

Under FERPA, you have complete control over who is authorized to see your student account information; third parties are not able to see who else has been authorized or any payment information made by other parties. You may grant authorization to anyone who needs to see your bills and statements (parent, guardian, grandparent, etc.). Student Account representatives will also need the authorized user set up to answer billing questions.

To grant authorization, log in to the CUWeb Portal.

Under the “Student Services & Financial Aid” tab, choose the “Student Account” menu to View and Pay your bill; under “Profile Setup,” choose “Authorized User.”

Undergraduate Students

You can estimate the amount you will owe for the 2023–2024 academic year by using the online interactive Expense Planner at https://www.clarku. edu/offices/financial-aid/prospective-students/ expense-planner-calculator/.

HEALTH INSURANCE

Massachusetts State Law requires all students, including international students, to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) or be covered by a health insurance plan with comparable coverage. To ensure compliance with Massachusetts law, you are automatically billed for the SHIP premium each year during the fall semester. If you enroll in the plan, or if you do not complete the waiver process, you’ll be covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. An HMO card will be sent to your physical on-campus mailbox. For 2023-2024, the plan year runs from August 15, 2023 to August 14, 2024. The premium for 2023-2024 is $2,390.

For the health insurance premium to be waived, you must complete the online waiver annually before the August deadline. Once the waiver is processed in 5-7 business days, the premium charge will be removed from your bill.

OTHER BILLED CHARGES

The Orientation fee is a one-time, first-semester charge for all new students. The Activity fee is an annual charge to all enrolled students. The fee supports a wide range of activities and services both on-line and in person that support and enhance opportunities for all enrolled students. These fees cannot be waived.

HOW AID IS CREDITED TO YOUR BILL

All aid, except work-study, is first credited toward billed charges, regardless of its source. Aid is credited to your e-bill equally (one half for each semester) and is not accelerated. Credit-based loans are applied to your student account once approved and once the funds are received from the lender. In accordance with Federal Student Aid Title IV regulations, Student Accounts will email you a Financial Aid Disbursement Receipt confirming these funds were applied to your bill.

This is our best estimate of out-of-pocket expenses. They can vary based on your individual needs.

For more information, please visit universityhealthplans.com/intro/clark.html.

Accepting Student Loans

First-time student borrowers can accept their loans by going to www.studentaid.gov and logging in with their FSA username and password. You must complete these requirements:

• Entrance Counseling

• Master Promissory Note

Watch your Clark email for reminders and processing deadlines. We do have an obligation to cancel loans if the requirements to accept them are not completed. This can impact your bill and create a balance due, Loans that are reduced or canceled, whether at your request or due to inaction, may be reinstated by sending an email from your Clark email account to finaid@clarku.edu no later than two weeks before the end of the semester. You will begin repayment of your loans six months after you cease to be enrolled at least half-time.

Financing Options OVERVIEW

Most families use a combination of payment strategies to limit debt, such as combining the monthly payment plan with a loan to attain an affordable monthly payment option. For maximum benefit, we recommend that you plan for the expenses of the academic year instead of budgeting on a per-semester basis.

It is important to make your health insurance election early each year as this can impact the amount of loan we can certify. Please note, certifying to the maximum amount of loan can reduce or cancel awards, such as federal work-study, as loan funds are deducted from the bill and federal work-study is not.

INTEREST-FREE MONTHLY PAYMENT OPTION

Clark University offers four or five month payment plans each semester. The per semester fee is $45 to enroll.

The advantages of a monthly payment plan:

• No interest payments / no credit inquiry

• Pay all or part of your charges in monthly installments

• Plan is flexible and can be used to supplement all other forms of financial aid

More information can be found on the Student Accounts web page.

PRIVATE LENDING OPTIONS

Creditworthy borrowers and/or co-borrowers may take out these loans, which are credit-based. Both interest rates and fees vary by program. You can selfselect a lender or review a list on our neutral lender product comparison tool, ELMSelect. You can review detailed information about loans on ELMSelect’s site to compare borrower benefits and begin the application process by choosing “Apply Now”. We will process loan applications from any private lender that you choose. We can begin receiving private loan certification requests after May 1.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PAYMENTS

Clark University has partnered with TransferMate to streamline the tuition payment process for our international students. This option allows you to:

• Pay from almost any country and any bank

• Avoid unexpected bank fees and ensure competitive exchange rates

• Track your payments from start to finish

• Access dedicated multilingual customer support Visit TransferMate online.

Non-Billed Expenses

In our estimates for cost of attendance, you will see our best estimate of the additional expenses a student will have while enrolled as an undergraduate. These can vary by student, so please plan accordingly for your anticipated out-of-pocket costs based on your individual needs.

For example, commuter expenses represent an average of the expenses a student will have to pay out of pocket.

TUITION INSURANCE THROUGH GRADGUARD

We believe it’s important to offer an easy, affordable way to protect the investment you and your family have made in higher education. That’s why Clark University has partnered with GradGuard™ to provide our families with tuition insurance from Allianz Global Assistance featuring special plans and rates not available to the general public. This coverage expands the scope of our refund policy by ensuring reimbursement for tuition, room, board and other fees for covered withdrawals at any time during the semester.

The deadline to apply is the day before the first day of classes each semester. Learn more at gradguard.com, or call 1-866-724-4384.

RENTERS INSURANCE THROUGH GRADGUARD

College Renters Insurance offers protections when students incur a covered property loss. Their coverage is designed for college life and covers losses both on and off campus. Review the extensive coverage, premium rates and enroll on the GradGuard web page. Premiums are paid directly to GradGuard.

Renewing Your Financial Aid

Financial aid is awarded one academic year at a time. Changes in your family circumstances — such as the number of family members in the household, number of siblings attending undergraduate college on at least a half-time basis, changes in residency status (on campus versus living at home with relatives), and changes in family income — will affect financial need and eligibility for aid. As long as these variables remain the same, you can expect your financial assistance to remain approximately the same from year to year.

ANNUAL RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS

By March 15, we will need the following:

• Your completed FAFSA or CSS Profile

• Any additional requirements posted to your CUWeb Portal

Missing financial aid application deadlines can result in delays in awarding and possibly the loss of funding. The Federal Direct Stafford loan will be automatically awarded and processed upon receipt a valid FAFSA.

To notify us if you wish to reduce or decline your loans, please email finaid@clarku.edu from your Clark email account.

CLARK’S RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT

The Residential Life and Housing (RLH) contract stipulates a two-year on-campus residency requirement. The Office of Residential Life and Housing can answer your questions regarding housing. Changes to your residency status may have an impact on your financial aid award. Contact with the Office of Financial Assistance to understand any changes that could occur. If you have a Clark University need-based grant and are approved to commute from home, you can expect to see a decrease of approximately $5,000 (or $2,500 per semester) to your grant. There is a $1,500 contract cancellation fee for housing appeals granted after the housing contract has been signed.

AID WHILE STUDYING ABROAD

Most students studying abroad as part of a Clarkapproved program are eligible to have their financial aid, with the exception of work-study, applied to those charges. We encourage you to plan for other out-of-pocket costs associated with studying abroad including, but not limited to, airfare. You must have a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA to study abroad, and you can review additional academic requirements with the Office of Study Abroad and Away. We recommend seeing if you can qualify for the Gilman Scholarship or other outside scholarships to assist with your Study Abroad work.

Academic Policies Affecting Financial Aid

COURSE LOAD REQUIREMENTS

All aid awarded is subject to verification of enrollment status. Changes in registration status may result in an adjustment or cancellation of financial aid awards.

• All undergraduate students must be enrolled full time, which is defined as three units or more per semester, to be eligible for Clark scholarships, grants, and state aid.

• Students must register at least half-time (1.5 units per semester) to receive federal assistance — with the exception of the Pell Grant, which will be awarded to eligible students enrolled in one unit.

SCHOLARSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Merit scholarships are renewable for up to three consecutive years (not to exceed 8 semesters). Students must first:

• Maintain a 2.0 GPA

• Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP)

If you receive financial aid of any type, including parent loans and most private education loans, you are expected to remain in good academic standing to make “satisfactory academic progress” toward your degree. SAP is defined by the U.S. Department of Education as “proceeding in a positive manner toward fulfilling degree requirements.” This is different from “academic standing,” which refers to requirements that must be met to continue to enroll at Clark (e.g., a grade of C or higher in at least two of every four classes taken).

The Office of Financial Assistance measures SAP according to three standards:

• GPA. As an undergraduate, you must maintain a cumulative minimum 2.0 GPA

• Pace. You must complete your registered units with passing grades as outlined below. Full-time bachelor’s degree students must successfully complete at least five units their first year, six units their second year, and seven units each year thereafter.

• Time Frame. You must either complete your program within 150% of the published program length or not exceed the program length by more than 50%. Full-time undergraduate students receiving financial aid have a maximum of six years to complete a four-year degree program.

Graduate and SPS students must complete twothirds of the attempted courses within 50% of the normal time frame towards achieving their degree and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 Evaluation of SAP is made each year, following two consecutive terms of enrollment. These requirements are prorated for students enrolled at less than full-time and students attending less than a full academic year.

Withdrawal from a course and courses not completed are counted in your number of courses attempted. When considering repeated courses for measuring Satisfactory Academic Progress, the highest grade is used when calculating the cumulative GPA, and the repeated course is also counted in the number of courses attempted. Only one repeat course can be funded with Title IV aid if you have previously passed the repeated course. Transfer units accepted and counted toward a Clark University degree are counted in the number of units attempted and earned. A student who does not meet SAP requirements is no longer eligible for financial assistance through federal, state, or institutional funds. Additionally, a private education loan cannot be certified if satisfactory progress is a requirement for certification.

If you are not meeting SAP, you will be notified in writing regarding your status and may pursue an appeal. All appeals must be submitted in writing to the Director of Financial Assistance. In your appeal, you should:

• Cite specific circumstances, such as a death in the family, your own injury or illness, or other circumstances that prevented you from meeting SAP

• Explain how and when you expect to meet the requirements for SAP

• Describe what has changed to allow you to meet SAP requirements

If it is determined that you should be able to meet those requirements by the end of the next semester, you will be placed on Financial Aid Probation for one semester, during which you are still eligible to receive financial assistance. If it is determined you would need more than one semester to meet the requirements, it is possible that you may be placed on Financial Aid Probation with an Academic Plan. You may be eligible to receive financial assistance if an Academic Plan is in place. A copy of the plan should be emailed to the Director of Financial Assistance.

You must construct your Academic Plan in conjunction with an academic adviser. In both Financial Aid Probation or Probation with an Academic Plan, your academic record is reviewed at the end of the subsequent semester to see if you are meeting the requirements of SAP or are on schedule to meet those requirements.

When your academic record is reviewed, one of the following determinations will be made:

• Meeting the requirements for SAP

• Can continue on financial assistance for another semester based on the Academic Plan in place

• Need to submit a new academic plan

• Will not be eligible for financial assistance until you meet SAP once again

A student may appeal their ineligibility for financial assistance based on Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements only once.

Leave of Absence or Withdrawal

If you plan to take a leave of absence or withdraw from Clark University, you should understand the impact of your decision on your current and future eligibility for financial aid as follows:

• When you are no longer attending the University, your financial aid award is adjusted according to the federal and institutional refund policies.

• When you leave during the middle of an academic period and have to repeat coursework to graduate, you may not be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress as outlined in this award guide and would not be able to receive aid for the period being repeated.

• If you have been awarded a Clark merit scholarship, you may take a leave of absence of up to one year and retain the merit award when you return, assuming SAP is met. If you go on leave for more than a year or withdraw, you will lose your merit scholarship award.

Return of Title IV Funds Title IV rules assume that you earn your aid based on the number of calendar days you remain enrolled for the term. Unearned aid, other than work-study, must be returned to the U.S. Department of Education until 60% of the semester has been completed. When you meet or exceed 60% of the semester, you are considered to have earned all of your aid.

When we must return unearned aid, we repay it to the following sources, in order, up to the total net amount disbursed by each source:

1. Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loan, then

2. Federal Direct Subsidized Direct loan, then

3. Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan, then

4. Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan, then

5. Federal Pell Grant, then

6. Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, then

7. SEOG grant, then

8. TEACH Grant.

Not all students will have all the awards listed above.

Return of Institutional Financial Aid You are allowed to retain institutional Clark grants and scholarships, including academic scholarships, at the tuition refund policy rate. Currently, the policy is as follows:

• If you officially withdraw from the University or takes a leave of absence by the final day of Add/ Drop, you will receive a 100% refund on tuition and mandatory fees and will be charged a daily rate on room and board.

• If you leave or withdraw in the first quarter, you are allowed to retain 50% of your financial aid.

• If you leave or withdraw during the second quarter, you may retain 75% of your aid.

• If you leave or withdraw after the second quarter, you may retain all of your Clark financial aid.

This policy is subject to change at the discretion of the University.

NOTE: The amount of prorated financial aid applied to the bill after the Return of Title IV and Return of Institutional Financial Aid calculations are completed may not cover all charges incurred during the period you were enrolled. You will be responsible for any remaining outstanding balance on your student account. Funds used during this period count toward a semester of institutional funding and federal eligibility usage calculations.

Returning from a Leave of Absence

Students being readmitted to the university within one year can be evaluated for financial aid with submission of the required financial aid documents including, but not limited to, that year’s FAFSA and any required documents needed for verification. We encourage you to know your status in relation to SAP prior to your return. You are encouraged to remit any requests for SAP appeal for funding to the Director of Financial Assistance prior to your return. Please contact us with any questions. When returning from a Leave of Absence, undergraduate students must contact the Dean of Students Office. Graduate and SPS students must contact their academic adviser.

Conditions of Student Employment

A Federal Work-Study award does not guarantee an on-campus job. This award is a limit to your potential earnings, and there is no guarantee you will earn the full amount.

During the summer, the Office of Student Employment will contact deposited students about how to apply for open positions via our online jobs portal, Handshake. Review our Student Employment page for information about when and how to search for on-campus jobs (clarku.edu/studentjobs).

Only fully on-boarded students can commence working under Massachusetts State Employee Law. This includes meeting federal I-9 identity confirmation requirements. Once employed, you are responsible for on-boarding, reporting your hours worked in a timely manner, and securing supervisor sign-off before the payroll reporting deadline each week to be paid. Wages are direct deposited into your checking or savings account.

To employ as many students as possible, Clark places a limit on the number of hours a student can work each week; domestic students cannot work more than 25 hours every week, while international students are limited to 20 hours a week.

I-9 INFORMATION

Clark University is required by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to verify, using the Federal I-9 form, the identity and work eligibility of student employees. To comply with federal employment laws, original identity and employment authorization documentation must be presented to the Office of Student Employment for certification; copies are not accepted. Originals are returned to you immediately. You can review the requirements at uscis.gov/I-9.

International students who wish to work on campus can review employment requirements on our website (clarku.edu/studentjobs).

All information accurate as of June 22, 2023